Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmastide
This service takes place at 3. The service was created and performed in by Edward Benson, who was the then newly appointed Bishop of Truro in Cornwall in the UK. Bishop Benson later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Service took place at The idea traveled around the UK and became quite a popular service to hold on Christmas Eve. However, it was made very famous by the choir from King's College, Cambridge, which was reckoned to be the best Church choir in the world at the time.
The Service was first performed at King's College in as a way of the college celebrating the end of the First World War. The new college Dean, Eric Milner-White, who had been an Army Chaplain in WWI, wanted a different and more positive way of celebrating Christmas for the choir and people in the college. A service of Nine Lessons and Carols has nine Bible readings or lessons , that tell the Christmas story, with one or two carols between each lesson. In the early s, the BBC started broadcasting the service overseas. You can find out more about the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College, Cambridge and download previous service sheets from their website.
Many people think they're the same service - but they are not! They are two different events which take place at different times; and although they share many of the same carols, they have different readings and a different structure. Many churches hold their own services which follow the patten of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
Sometimes you also get carol services which are a combination of Nine Lessons and Carols and Carols by Candlelight! So you have Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight! One of the staff at the King's School was kind enough to talk to me about what it's like for the choristers at Christmas. So a big thank you to them for the following information! Now there are normally between 15 and 18 choristers in the choir; this is because there are sometimes one or two extra boys in case some of the choristers have their voices break and so can no longer sing the choir!
This happened in when there were 17 at the start of the school year, but by mid December one voice had broken and so they were back to the correct 16! The boys are aged between 8 and This means all readers: The reading should not be dramatic, but interpretive with attention to the meaning. Placement of boxes for children to stand on, adjustment of microphones, walking up and down— all these matters should be rehearsed. During the service nothing should detract from the text and its meaning.
The beautiful language of this old English translation heightens the simple dignity of this traditional service. The old tradition of standing for gospel readings is often followed in this service by having the congregation stand for the ninth lesson. Music Since so much music from this season is simple and well known, the congregation should sing a good deal.
Readings for nine lessons & carols - Catholic Archdiocese of Accra
In fact, congregations without choirs could sing all the songs. For some carols, consider having the congregation and choir alternate stanzas, with the choir perhaps singing a descant on the final stanza. For others, you may want to alternate stanzas between men and women.
Some churches sing more than one song after some of the readings. However, especially if the service has no sermon, one or, at most, two songs chosen to reflect on the meaning of one Scripture passage help to retain liturgical balance and unity; adding too many songs can tilt the service toward a concert. Use those that seem most appropriate to your service. As you read the Scripture lessons, other carols for the congregation will come to mind.
Have the choir sing any songs that might be unfamiliar to the congregation. This service is not the place to ask the congregation to stumble through new songs. The choir or choirs should be in one place throughout the service; marching up or down will detract from worship. After a quiet meditative prelude, the service may begin with a processional. Often a child or someone with a light childlike soprano voice sings the first stanza from the back. Then the choir begins pro—. The congregation joins in for the last few stanzas, and the organ pulls out all the stops for a glorious climax. In some churches just the choir processes; the readers sit near the front with their families.
In other churches the processional includes all the participants; the readers also wear robes and sit together. Those in the processional, usually in pairs, should walk slowly, not trying to march in step. They should concentrate on keeping an even distance from those ahead of them and on listening to the other choir members while singing. The processional must be rehearsed so that it does not draw attention to the act of processing but rather sets the tone for a service of worship. Sometimes the procession is led by one or two candle—bearers who light candles at the front of the church.
Churches using an Advent wreath may wish to separate the processional from the candle lighting. After the processional the candles are lit and the choir sings a carol that contains references to light.
However, this is not part of the traditional service. The congregation remains standing for the bidding prayer, a prayer in which the congegation is asked bidden to pray for. A list follows, with brief pauses after each petition. A bidding carol—which is something like a call to worship—may then follow, in which the choir addresses the congregation. After the bidding carol, the congregation is seated and the lessons begin. When the service includes a sermon or meditation, it usually follows the ninth lesson, though some place it after the eighth. If an offering is part of the service, it should be taken after the ninth lesson.
The offertory music—either another carol or instrumental music—should keep in mind the wonder and mystery of the passage from John 1. Some congregations follow the older custom of receiving offerings at the door as people leave. The service concludes with a prayer and a blessing.
Parishioners come together in Rhyl to celebrate joyful Nine Lessons and Carols
In England, all would kneel for the prayer. If your congregation has never knelt in prayer, this service would be an appropriate context in which to consider doing so. If the congregation does not kneel, it should stand. The Festival was introduced in to bring a more imaginative approach to worship. It was first broadcast in and is now broadcast to millions of people around the world.
Readings for nine lessons & carols
The service includes carols and readings from the Bible. The opening carol is always 'Once in Royal David's City', and there is always a new, specially commissioned carol. Unfortunately there is no list of radio stations that are broadcasting the service, so it's best to contact your local stations or check their online listings. We now operate a ticketing system for this service. If you wish to attend, please come to the College early on Christmas Eve morning, with some photographic identification.
- A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols -- Christmas Customs and Traditions -- whychristmas?com!
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- Five Little Peppers Grown Up (Illustrated).
- Years of Nine Lessons and Carols - King's College Recordings.
- A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
A queue will form in the early hours and we will begin distributing tickets at approximately 7am. We expect the queue to be full by this time, or possibly earlier. Each ticket will be for a specific seat in the Chapel and valid only for the person who collects it. As the number of tickets is limited, you are advised to arrive in good time. Those who do receive tickets will be invited to come back after 1: